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The Vampire Diaries Review: Dopplegang-HIM?!?

Note to Sheriff Forbes: Can we get better protection around the water sources of Mystic Falls? They are causing major problems for some of your daughter's best friends.

First, Elena plunges off a bridge and into eternity as a member of the undead on last year's season finale.

Now, in "Graduation," Stefan is locked inside a safe and pushed into what appears to be an impenetrably soggy grave because Silas reveals his true self to be the doppleganger of this Salvatore brother, the shadow self created because nature needed a balance to the witch who created an immortal curse.

Allow me to repeat that again, using the capital letters it calls for: STEFAN IS SILAS' DOPPLEGANGER!!!!!

Holy game-changing cliffhanger, Julie Plec. You have most definitely done it again.

Until the wholly unexpected concluding scene, The Vampire Diaries Season 4 finale centered more on matters of the heart than matters of the Holy $hit Did That Really Happen?!?. Consider all the romantic scenes and developments:

Rebekah saved Matt's life and the pair ran away together. Drove away together? Flew around the globe together with Rebekah using her vampire-like speed and carrying Matt on her back?

Travel arrangements aside, this was a well-deserved trip for both parties. Matt has clearly saved up some vacation time from The Grill and the past few weeks have done an admirable job of softening Rebekah and proving she really can be "good." Of course, we all know The Originals is coming (Tuesday nights this fall!) and Mebekah's future doesn't appear especially bright. But a summer fling with an Aussie-accented blonde? Things could be worse, Matt Donovan.

Bonnie brought Jeremy back to life and said goodbye for good. (Possibly? That didn't feel like a proper farewell. I fear Bon Bon is not Gone Gone.)

Okay, I'll make it quick: this was incredibly dumb. Bonnie's use of random, all-powerful spells to fix situations has been a source of frustration - and occasional humor on The Vampire Diaries Round Table - for many seasons. But this was a magical step too far. She simply did a spell? And that's it? Jeremy is now alive? Very lame. No other way to put it.

Klaus granted Tyler his freedom and delivered the line of the night to Caroline: He's your first love. I intend to be your last. However long it takes. Damn. That guy is good at a lot more than using graduation caps as a weapon.

This was a perfect scene all around. It left the Klaroline door open just the tiniest crack, while making us wonder how Caroline will react when Tyler next walks through her bedroom door. Seriously, is it possible for Candice Accola to just be on both shows this fall? Running really fast between New Orleans and Mystic Falls? She and Joseph Morgan are terrific together. And think of all the parties Caroline could throw in The Big Easy!

Elena chose Damon. Again. For real this time. It was the only real solution to the triangle, as many viewers would have tuned out for good if she somehow went back to Stefan. And simply choosing herself? Kelly Taylor beat her to that years ago.

Season 4 did a mostly solid job of shoving the Who Will Elena Choose? question to the sidelines (that's what happens when you lose your humanity and go around killing waitresses), but the end result was that it made her decision here seem so anti-climactic. We all knew full-throttle Delena would happen at some point, so let's just hope it now sticks... and we never hear the words "sire bond" ever again.

(Must we even discuss The Cure? A storyline that never really went anywhere and never made a great deal of sense ended with essentially a side character being forced to take it. Is anyone counting down the days until October because they care about Katherine as a human? I didn't think so).

So, yes, a lot of sentiment and not a great deal of shock for about 58 minutes tonight. Until that conclusion. Until the scene that absolutely no one could have seen coming and which opens up a never-ending number of possibilities. But they all go back to Paul Wesley getting to revisit his Ripper roots in some way, which is a treat for both the actor and every viewer.

There's no way the real Stefan is actually dead... right? Will Silas now integrate himself into the group and try to pass himself off as Stefan? To what end? That's actually the only real cliffhanger we have heading into The Vampire Diaries Season 5, the only thread really left dangling, aside from how The Grill will possibly function without Matt.

But it's a doozy! I now turn it over to you, TVD Fanatics, and ask for your take on the crazy twist and on Season 4 as a while. How would you grade it?

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Nikki•May 17, 2013 16:19

I liked the finale for Matt(finally getting the girl) and Rebekah's growth! Glad that Elena choose Damon because although I much prefer her with Stefan, she doesn't deserve his love or loyalty(not that deserving has anything to do with love). Also, it was time for Damon to get some happiness. I want to see how their relationship will play out. Also, glad that Paul will be able to explore other plot lines as an actor- bring on Stefan and Caroline.Booooo to Bonnie's death, a criminal waste of a great character in the book. In the tv show her friends(save Caroline, Stefan, and Matt) treat her like crap. What a waste that she gave up her life for Jeremy(and by extension Elena- they wouldn't spit to save her is she was on fire.

Tom•May 17, 2013 16:07

Well, that was random. It really is a shame to see a show that used to be so good turn into this dreck.

And NOW...what is this Stefan is Silas's doppleganger crap?!?! When did Silas "create Stefan"...was Stefan BORN Silas's doppleganger and then, twist of fate, also became a vampire? What if he didn't become a vampire and then Stefan just had a normal life and died? Would another doppleganger appear somewhere down the line just IN CASE someone awoke Silas? And who says it would have been at the right time?I AM SO CONFUSED.

You know what wasn't amazing? How incredibly confusing and disjointed this season has been. The first several episodes of Season 4 were so good, I though I had the TVD of Seasons 1 and 2 back! Then...weirdness. Sire bond, expression triangles, weird guy that was the first immortal (which sort of makes the term "The Originals" a moot point, no? The obviously weren't the first), never really explaining that Silas WAS a vampire or whatever he is, Bonnie dropping some supernatural veil and the writers failing to explain if putting it back up means no more ghosts (since I thought she was SUPPOSED to destroy it)....a spell to bring Jeremy (who was BURNED in a fire) back to life...

The scene between Klaus and Caroline was amazing. The scene in which Elena chooses Damon (and Damon/Ian's face when she says I love you) was amazing. The scenes between Matt and Rebekah were amazing. That said....

Kathy•May 17, 2013 15:35

They sure change things from the books. I do like the show though. In the book Damon got the cure

alan•May 17, 2013 15:12

OMG THIS IS FUCKING BULLSHIT!ALL YOU DELENA FANS DESTROY SUCH A GREAT TV SHOW WITH ALL YOUR BITCHING AND WININGYOU DUMB DAWGS!

B•May 17, 2013 14:54

This show was terrible. How can Elena pick Damon and how can Stefan be so heartbroken and end up at the end of a lake too? That is just so sad. Stefan doesn't deserve any of it. Not sure I'll be watching next season with Elena being with Damon and Stefan out of the picture. That would be so lame. Not sure how Stefan can come back to Mystic Falls now if Elena is with Damon. He has no more purpose in the show and that is the only reason I have watched this show since the first episode of season 1 is to see Stefan and Elena together. Now it seems that can never happen, so it's pointless...

sarah•May 17, 2013 14:36

Started and ended with Delena and the proof was in the ratings. TVD's is terrible now. Won't be back for season 5 btw, I'm not a Stelena but at least when they were a couple the show was exciting

T Enelen•May 17, 2013 14:32

Katherine was given the cure? What a waste of an entire season. She'll either die or have someone turn her into a vampire againâ€¦ Either way, no one cares and the cure was worthless. Saw that coming. Katherine is always a fail safe in this show. They bring her back whenever they can't think of anything else. They'll use Silas in the same way, which is also an incredibly desperate attempt to keep viewers interested. There is no where to go from here. Just give Caroline to The Originals and do a better job at creating a love story in which love conquers all. When Stefan fought Klaus' compulsion to kill Elena, that was love conquering all. Damon couldn't even fight Kol's compulsion to kill Jeremy. How can people say Elena and Damon belong together? They are the worst couple in the history of the world. I find it hard to believe that someone (Elena) who is defined by doing the right thing and her compassion for others wouldn't hate Damon forever after making her turn off her humanity. That warrants a lot more than a quick slap. If you consider the storyline, there is no question that Stefan and Elena belong together. The fans like Damon because he is given snappy lines and has a cute half smile and pain in his eyes. But he almost always does the wrong thing for Elena. In short, I will no longer be DVRing this show!